DNA, RNA, and Snorks Teacher Guide

Original Document: DNA, RNA, and Snorks

This activity can become tedious if you assign all of the snorks. It is recommended that you assign only one (possibly) two for students to decode. Their sketches can be creative and likely none will be the same, the key below shows you the traits that each snork should have based on the codons and amino acid sequence. You may also wish to do the first one on the overhead projector to show students how to construct their snorks.

I will eventually add student samples, after my class completes the assignment and I have some examples. If you have a snork sample you would like to submit, feel free to email it to me or post on biologycorner.com's facebook page.

Snicker Snork

AUG | GUC AGC AAA | UAC CCC GAA GAG AAA | CUC UUA AGU GCG | GCU GUU GUG | CAU CAU | GUU UUU UAC |

met | val, ser, lys......... | tyr, pro, glu, glu, lys.......... | leu, leu, ser, ala......... | ala, val, val | his, his | val, phe, tyr |

.......hairy ......................| plump................................ | 2 legged......................| round head.| no tail..| red pigment ..|

| GAU AUC UUA CUG CCC ACC | GAC GAC GAU GCC | UUU UCU GGG | AGA UAU UGU |UAA

|asp, ile, leu, leu, pro, thr............ | asp, asp, asp, ala..... | phe, ser, gly..... | arg, tyr, cys | stop

small slanted eyes...................... | rectangular mouth..... | pointed ears..... | long arms ....|

Snuffle Snork

AUG | GUA UCU AAA | GUU CCU ACU GAA AAG | CUU CUC CUC CCC | GUU GCG GCU | CAU CAC |

met | val, ser, lys | val, pro, thr, glu, lys | leu, leu, leu, pro ......| val, ala, ala | his, his |

start | hairy ........| skinny ......................|. 3 legged .................| square head | no tail

| GUA UUU UAU | GUA AUU CUU CUG CCC ACA | GUU GAC GAC GCA | UUC UCG GGU | AGA UAU UGU |UAA

val, phe, tyr | asp, ile, leu, leu, pro, thre | val, asp, asp, ala | phe, ser, gly | arg , tyr, cys | stop

red pigment | small slanted eyes | circular mouth | pointed ears | long arms

Snapple Snork

AUG | GUC AGC CUU | GUU CCC ACA GAA AAA | CUC UUA AGU GCG | GUU GCG GCU | CAC AUU |

start | val, ser, leu......| val - pro - thr - glu - lys | leu, leu, ser, ala.......,| val, ala, ala.......| his, ile .....|

hairless......................| skinny ...........................| 2 legged .................| square head...... | tail ..........|

| UCU CCC GUA | GAU AUU CCC CCC CCC ACC | GAU GAC GAC GCA | UUC UUU GGG | CGC CGG GAC | UAA

ser, pro val ......| asp, ile, pro,,pro, pro, thr............| asp, asp, asp, ala .....| phe, phe, gly.....| arg, arg, asp ..|stop

blue..................| large round eyes........................| rectangular mouth .....| round floppy ears | short arms

Snoopy Snork

AUG | GUA UCC CUC | UAC CCC GAG GAA AAA | UUA UUA CUG CCC | GCU GUU GUA | CAU AUU |

start | val, ser, leu......| tyr, pro, glu, glu, lys .........| leu, leu, leu, pro.......| ala, val, val.......| his, ile......|

.........hairless............| plump.................................| 3 legged..................| round head ......| tail............|

| UCU CCC GUA | GAU AUU CUU CUG CCC ACA | GUU GAU GAU GCC | UUU UCU GGU | CGC CGU GAC | UAA

ser, pro, val ......| asp, ile, leu, leu, pro, thr...........| val, asp, asp, ala ......| phe, ser, gly....| arg, arg, asp...... | stop

blue...................| small, slanted eyes...................| circular mouth ..........| pointed ears....| short arms